Sound-recording and sound-reproducing machine



Dec. 11, 1928. v 1,695,025

A REMY ET AL SOUND RECORDING AND SOUND REPRODtICING MACHINE Filed M y 19- 1923 2 Sheets-Shee 1 Dec. 11, 1928.

A. REMY ET AL SOUND RECORDING AND SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed y 19' 1923 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 11 19 28.

UNITED STATES PATENT or -rice.

AUGUSTE REMY, JEAN RENAUX, JEAN DELORT, AND FRANCIS DEB REBANT, 01

. BEZU ST. ELOI, FRANCE.

sounn-nncoanme Ann. sounb-nnrnonucme Macrame.

Application filed Kay 19, 1923, Serial 1T0. 640,081, and in France June 1, 1922.

sound also from the usual type ofrecord now on the market. 1

The sound-recording method and apparatus accordin to this invention render it pos-' sible to pro uce records bearing a far. larger number of sound grooves than records hitherto known. The said apparatus is characterized in that the turntable which hitherto was moved at a constant angular speed is moved, according to the invention, at a constant linear speedso that thesound grooves are uniform in size whatever be-the point of the record on which they are located. The turntable and the record are moreover bodil propelled in a horizontal plane so that are constantly brought at constant speed 'within reach of the stylus recording the sound waves and fresh portions of the turntable are constantly brought within reach of the friction wheel.

' Themechanism whereby the machine according to the invention is made instantly ready for reproducin manufactured accor known methods, is of a very simple character and is fully. described liereunder.

A constructional! example of-th'e machine according to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation chine with the casing removed.

Figure 2 isa plant- I Figure 3 illustrates the mechanism whereby the drivin friction wheel is held in prop-v er contact with the turntable.

Figure 4 shows the rack and elements pertaining thereto-in elevation and plan- Figure 5 is a section on line At -A of Figure 2 and purports to show a portion, of the mechanism. Y

Figure 6 is a partial view of the tone arm and of the device provided for looking it in playing position.-

Figure 7 is a planview of the recess prorecording capacity per unit esh portions of the record.

sound from a record ing to the hitherto of the said mavided in the tone arm for the above/mew tioned setting. I

Figure 8 is a large scale View of thelocking or setting device proper.

Figure 9 is a view, ona greatly reduced scale, of the top plate or deck of the ma chine.

The machine according to the invention is enclosed in the usual way, in a casing made of any desired material and provided with adornments of any kind. Neither the easing nor the driving motor, which inaylikewise be of any desired character, isshown 1n the drawings, but the shaft 19 indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be assumed to be the motor shaft. Two 'frame plates 1 are secured to they casing by means of flanges formed by bending the lower edges of the plates at right angles; the said plates are rigidly connected to one another by two tierods or tie-tubes 2." The plates are additionally tied together by two cylindrical bars 3- secured to 1 the upper portion of the said plates, andthese two bars 3 are intended to conjoIntly carry and guide a slide 5 which in turn carries the turntable 4 (shown dotted) and the mechanism for actuatin and propelling the same. the slide 5 completely surrounds one of the bars 3 and moves thereon. The lower face ofthe slide'is fitted with a supporting frame 6 inte al with or rigidlysecured to the said slide. The said frame carries the spindle on which the turntable 4 and its support '8 are mounted, a suitable portion of the said spindle being cut to form a worm 7 in engagement with a suitably "dimensioned worm wheel9' rigidly secured to a toothed One of the si es of pin on 10 rolling on and meshing with a rack '11 movably mounted onv a spindle 12 and controlled bya spring 35. The said rack is thrown in and out of engagement with the pinionlOby means of an externally mounted and, manually operated crankhandle 13 provided with a suitable snap mechanism engaging catches or the like prof vided' on a plate fixed to the outer we of for thepurpose of placing the rack in the desired position straightaway and without-resortin to trial movements. The rack is thrown in and out of engagement with the pinion according as sound is to be reproduced from a record of the known the casing,

type or of the t pe'produced in accordance with the invention. To this end, a striker arm 14 is provided, which co-operates with a fin ing t erefrom. v

A cam 16- has its hub secured to and near one end of the rack spindle and has for its purpose to coact with a lateral. in 37 fixed to an arm 36 on a subsequent y-described support 22 in bringinga driving friction wheel 20, hereafter referred to, out of contact with the turntable lat the moment the rack is moved-out 'of engagement with the pinion, the engagement of the parts 16 and 37 having the effect of rocking the support in a direction to lower wheel 20. One end of the previously mentioned helical spring 35 is secured by a screw. V to the cam, the said spring being intended to smooth out any jerk or shock arising from a faulty initial contact between the rack and the pinion,

and to establish ultimately the correct contact, when the rack is raised into its operative position. The rack spindle is moreover provided with a small arm 17 which, in cooperation with another arm 18, throws the motor out of action when necessary, as hereinafter explained.

The turntable 4 is rotated by the friction wheel 20 which is constituted by a disc 21 made of rubber or leather, or of any other suitable material, clamped between two circular cheeks. The friction wheel is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the support 22 mentioned above, which support has the shape of a bell-crank and is pivoted at its apex on the motor shaft 19 and adapted to oscillate about the same. The motor drives 'the friction wheel 20 through the medium of two pulleys 23 over which passes a belt 24. The friction wheel 20 and the upper pulley are of course rigidly mounted on a common shaft and rotate together. The friction wheel 20 is constantly held in contact with the turntable 43by a spring 25, one of the ends of which is fastened to the lower end or other suitable oint of the support 22. The movement 0 the friction wheel in one direction is limited by a stop 26 integral with or secured to the frame plate 1; the support 22 comes to rest against the said stop.

27 (Figure 6) and is adapted tobe moved (is customary, in two planes at right angles to one another. The bracket is fitted with a The tone arm 28 is supported on a bracket device whereby the tone arm is locked in the correct starting position, with the stylus at the proper starting point on the record without requiring trials. Referring to Figures 6 and 8, this device comprises a cylindrical plunger '29 abutting on a small piston 31 adapted to slide in the casing of the said device and provided with a pointed stem 31 adapted to engage a hole or recess er 15 secured to the rack and project- .d

device 29431, and that 30'provided in. the tone arm. The plunger 29 is normally held in the raised position by a helical spring located in the casing of the evice.

The deck plate 32 of the machine is provided with a slot 33 affording passage of the driving roller 20 therethrough and passage and displacement of the spindle carrying the turntable'4 supported on the disc 8. The deck has moreover a gauge or level 34 whereby the machine may be placed in a truly horizontal position; it has furthermore markings or graduations indicating the speeds rotated and the points at which they are to placed, according as sound is to be produced from records of the known t pe or from those produced in accordance with the invention. 7 I

The machine according to the invention works as follows for sound-recording purposes The friction wheel 20 is held by the spring 25 constantly in contact with the lower face and substantiallynear the edge of the turnat which the records are to be table 4 carrying the blank record. The rack 11.is in the raised or operative position (as in F igure 1) and is therefore in engagement with the pinion 10. The turntable is actuated by themotor shaft 19 through the medium of the belt 24, the pulleys 23 and the friction wheel 20, and in turn actuates turntable moves nearer the friction wheel.

The stylus is always. vertically above the friction wheel 20 whatever the position of the latter relatively to the turntable, due to the fact that the tone the turn table mov'es linearly with relation to the tone arm.

'The movement of the various elements is the same for reproducing sound from a record produced according to the present invention. The record is placed in its correctposition with the aidof the graduations arm is locked by the or marks provided on the deck .32. The

operator thereafter depresses the plunger 29, thus causing the pointed end 31 to engage the recess30 of the tone-arm 28 which 1s now lowered by band, together with the stylus, into the correct starting position on the record without having to find the said position by trial.

stated above, this machine renders it possible to'reproduce by operating the crank handle 13 and bring ing its index or hand oppo'siteor in engagement with the desired'catchj or other detent means provided externally on the cabinet wall. The pinion 10 is now out of engage lower ment with the rack so that the turntable is no longer linearly propelled but is of course rotated about its own axis. The friction wheel 20 may be brought into contact straightaway with anydesired point on the face of the turntablefor' the purpose of rotating the latter at the desired angular speed. 1

The .machine according tov the invention therefore renders it possible to produce sound from records made in accordance with the said invention and with recordsas now on the market, The machine may be set for producing sound from one or the others of these records by a single operation of the crank handle wherebythe rack isthro'wn-into v of rapidly and smoothly bringing these two or out of engagement with the pinion;

The helical spring constantly pulls the rack towards the pinion for the purpose elements into engagement in case the teeth of the one do not immediately drop inthe l tects the teeth of the said elements from being damaged.

The motor is automatically thrown out of actionwhen the rack is unmeshed from pinion 10 after the playing of the record is finished,'owing to the fact that this moveinent of the rack brings its arm 17 into the path of the arm 18 on the motor shaft, so that the latter arm, whichrotates constantly with the motor shaft, is thus brought into contact with arm 17, whereby the further rotation ofsaid shaft is stopped. The F'slide is thereafter moved backwards manually and.

withv case so that the turntable is brought to itsinitial or other position ready to be actuated. anew for reproducing sound'from the following record. 4 The angular velocity of the record is read from the marks or graduations provided on the deck of the machine, the said angular velocity being independent of the speed of the motor and being imparted to the turntable at a rate in accordance with the relative position of the friction wheel and of the said turntable. i

1. Sound-recording. and reproducing apparatus, comprising a turntable; mechanism for rotating it; and mechanism for imparting a linear movement to the turntable durs of the other; this arrangement proley belted prise an arm on the rack and an arm on the spindle for engaging the first-named arm when the spindle is rotated.

.3. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination ofa, turntable; a

driving wheel movable into and out of engagement with the turntable; means for ro-, tating said wheel; means for imparting a linear movement to the turntable during its rotation; and a common means for disengaging the wheel and positively terminating its rotation, and fgr interrupting the linear movement of the turntable.

4. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a turntab1e';'a driving wheel engageable therewith; a drivingshaft; "a pulley fixed thereto; a pulley belted to the first pulley and to which the drivingwheel'is connected to be driven there by; a rocking support carrying the second pulley; a spindle; and a cam on said spindle engageable with said support to rock the same and thereby move the driving wheel out of engagement with the turntable.

. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of aturntable; a driving wheel engageable therewith; a driving shaft; a pulley fixed thereto; a pulley belted to the first pulley and to which the driving wheel is connected to be driven thereby; a rocking support carrying the second pulley; a spindle; and separate devices on said spindle with said sup ort and said shaft to rock the support and thereby move the driving wheel out of engagement with the turntable, and to positively terminate the rotation of said shaft.

6. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a turntable;

adriving wheel engageable therewith; a driving shaft; a pulley fixed thereto; a pulto the first pulley and to which the driving wheel is connected to be driven there-. by; a rocking support carrying the second pulley; a spindle; and a device on said spindle cooperative with said support to rock the same and thereby move the driving wheel out of engagement with the turntable.

for eoaction, respectively, 7

- pulley; a spindle; means for rocking said support tomove the driving wheel out of engagement with the turntable; and means operated b said spindle for positively terminating t 1e rotation of the driving shaft.

8. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a turntable; a driving Wheel engageable therewith; a driving shaft; a pulley fixed thereto; a pulley bolted to the first pulley and to which the driving wheel is connected to be driven thereby;'a rocking support carrying the second pulley; a spindle; and a pair of separate projections fixed to the spindle, one projection cooperative with said support to rock the same and thereby move the driving wheel out of engagement with the turntable, and the other projection cooperative with the driving shaft to positively terminate its rotation.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, in which the driving shaft is provided with a lateral arm directly engageable by the lastnamed projection on the spindle to arrest the rotation of; said shaft. i

10. In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a. turntable; a

driving wheel therefor; a rocking carrier for said wheel; resilient means connected with said carrier for normally maintaining said wheel engaged with the turntable; mechanism for imparting a linear movement to said turntable and including a rack-and pinion device; resilient means normally maintainingthe rack and pinion engaged; means for rockin said carrierin a direction to ,disengage t e driving Wheel from the turntable; and means fordisengaging the rack -from ,the pinion.

11: In sound-recording and reproducing apparatus,,the combination of a turntable; a drivingwheel therefor; a rocking carrier for said wheel; resilient means connected with said carrier for normally maintaining said wheel engaged with the turntable; mechanism for imparting a linear movement .to

- said turntable and including a rack-and-pinion device; resilient means normally main taining the rack and pinion engaged; means for rocking said carrier in a direction to disengage the driving wheel from the turntable; means for disengaging the rack from driving wheel therefor; a rocking carrier for said 'wheel' mounted on a pivot to swing about the same; resllient"means' connected with said carrier for movingfit in-one direc-' tion about its pivot to maintain "said wheel Jnormally engaged with'the turntable; mech anism for imparting a linear movement to said turntable during its rotation; means for interrupting the action of e-movement; imparting mechanism at will; and a member carried by one element of said mechanism a for engaging and swinging said carrier in the op ositedirection about its pivot so as to 'wit draw the driving wheel from tlie turntable when an interruption of the action of said mechanism takes place. 7

13. In; sound-recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of a turntable;

a driving wheel therefor; a rocking carrier for said wheel mounted on a pivot to sw' about the same; resilient means connecte with said carrier for moving it in one direction about its pivot to maintain said wheel normally en aged with the turntable; mechanism or imparting a linear movement to saidturntab le during its ro-.

tati'on and including a rack-and-pinion device; means for disengaging the rack from the pinion; and meanscarried by the 'rack for engaging and swinging said carrier in theopposite direction about its pivot, durin the movement of disengagement of said rac from the pinion, so as to withdraw the driv-.

ing wheel from the turntable.

14. A paratus according to claim 13, in

which t e carrier-rocking means comprises a cam on the rack, and a projection on the carrier for coaotion therewith. I a 15. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which t a cam on the rack, and a projection on the carrier having a lateral pin for engagement by said cam.

In testimony whereof we havesigned our names to this specification.

AUGUSTE REMY.

JEAN RENAUX.

JEAN DELORT.

FRANCIS DEBREBANT.

e carrier-rocking means comprises, 

